Table 2.
Maximum matrix thickness of new bone formation on a concave, flat, or convex surface. This table illustrates the maximum theoretical thickness of new bone formation for the 128 cells illustrated in each geometric configuration shown in Figures 8a, 8b, and 8c. For flat and convex surfaces, the limit occurs when osteoblasts become osteocytes and lining cells and no osteoblast undergoes apoptosis (ρA = 0). In contrast, in the concave configuration of an osteon, the thickness is limited by the maximum diameter of a cylinder that can be occupied by a single row of 128 osteoblasts (∼ 250 μm). In this case, approximately half of the initial osteoblasts must still undergo apoptosis if the observed osteocyte density is to be maintained at or near the normal osteocyte density in cortical bone.